Former Israeli PM's speeches at Columbia, Harvard universities trigger backlash

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s speech on Tuesday at Columbia University has faced intense criticism, leading several student groups to protest against his presence on campus. 

The university's Barnard College-Hillel, the school of international and public affairs, and the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life co-hosted Bennett for an event, according to a report by the Columbia Spectator. 

The Columbia chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace and the Columbia Palestine Solidarity Coalition organised a protest on campus, with students and protesters gathered outside the 116th and Broadway gates and inside the campus carrying banners that read, “war criminal off our campus”.

Columbia University Apartheid Divest and other organisations shared images from the protest on Instagram on Tuesday.

Columbia Jews for Ceasefire issued a statement on its Instagram page ahead of the event, condemning the “political project of Naftali Bennett”.

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